Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, widely recognised for his in Shaktimaan, has once again shared his candid views — this time on marriage, love, and commitment. At 67, and having never married, Khanna spoke in a recent conversation with The Filmy Charcha Podcast about why he chose a different path.
His perspective blends personal belief with spirituality. He explained, “If you are married, you are committed. People say a woman should be pativrata. But has anyone said a man should also be pativrata? I say that two souls have met. But people don’t believe this… they say ‘I love my wife’ and still move around. That is cheating.”
For Khanna, marriage is not just a social contract but something deeply tied to fate. “I believe in marriage more than most people. People think that if you don’t marry, you don’t believe in marriage. That’s not true. I believe in the institution of marriage more than most people. A wife doesn’t just come randomly. She is written in destiny. If it was meant to happen, it would have happened by now. The woman I am destined to marry already exists somewhere. When destiny brings us together, it will happen,” he said.
His views also extend to how he defines love itself. In his opinion, love is rare and singular, rather than something that can happen multiple times. He stated, “Love happens only once. The rest is infatuation or desire. If you say ‘I love you’ to one person and then go to another, you are being ungrateful.”
To better understand these perspectives through a psychological and social lens, we spoke to an expert.
Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, “Beliefs in destiny or ‘the one’ can shape how individuals approach relationships by creating a sense of meaning, hope, and emotional security. For many, this belief is comforting—it reduces uncertainty and reinforces the idea that love is meant to unfold naturally, which can ease anxiety around choosing a partner.”
However, she notes that it can also lead to passivity, unrealistic expectations, or factors like communication, values, and emotional availability. “Psychologically, while such beliefs can provide reassurance, healthy relationships are less about destiny and more about conscious effort, mutual growth, and adaptability. Balancing romantic ideals with a realistic understanding tends to support more stable and fulfilling partnerships.”
“It’s not accurate to believe that love happens only once,” stresses Khangarot, adding that research in relationship psychology “shows that humans are capable of forming deep, meaningful romantic bonds at multiple points across the lifespan. Attachment patterns, emotional readiness, and life context all influence how and when we connect, meaning love can feel different—but equally profound—at different stages.”
Early relationships are often shaped by intensity, novelty, and identity formation, while later ones tend to be more grounded in compatibility, emotional regulation, and shared values. “Studies on long-term relationships also suggest that love evolves from passionate attraction to companionate love, marked by stability, trust, and mutual care. Neurobiologically, the brain continues to retain the capacity for bonding and attachment regardless of age,” she shares.
“A healthy approach to commitment is less about rigid rules and more about clarity, consent, and . It involves understanding one’s own needs and values, communicating them openly, and aligning with a partner (or partners) on expectations, boundaries, and emotional responsibilities. Psychological safety—feeling respected, heard, and secure—is central, regardless of the relationship structure,” concludes the expert.
